Key aspects:
* Declining number of speakers: This is often the most obvious indicator. A language is considered "dying" when the number of people who speak it is significantly decreasing.
* Limited domains of use: Dying languages often lose ground in areas like education, government, and media, being restricted to informal settings like home or community gatherings.
* Lack of intergenerational transmission: Perhaps the most crucial factor. If young people aren't learning the language, it's likely to disappear within a generation.
* External pressures: Globalization, urbanization, and assimilation policies can all contribute to the decline of languages.
Perspectives:
* Linguistic perspective: Focuses on the loss of linguistic diversity and the disappearance of unique cultural knowledge encoded in languages.
* Sociological perspective: Considers the impact on communities and identities, as language loss can be linked to cultural erosion and social marginalization.
* Political perspective: Recognizes the potential for language loss to undermine cultural rights and contribute to linguistic imperialism.
Terminology:
* Endangered language: A language at risk of extinction, but still has a significant number of speakers.
* Critically endangered language: A language with only a few elderly speakers, and limited use in daily life.
* Extinct language: A language that is no longer spoken by anyone.
It's important to note:
* There's no clear threshold for defining "dying," and different languages face different pressures.
* Language revitalization efforts can be successful in halting or reversing decline.
* The concept of "dying" can be culturally sensitive, as some communities may view language shift as a natural process.
Ultimately, understanding the definition of a dying language requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach, taking into account linguistic, sociological, and political factors.